Scores: Week 16

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Today's game at Calavera was between two teams striving to avoid finishing the season in the cellar, and it was also the rubber game of the season series with each team having won one, lost one, and tied one. The Groupies were missing five players and had a couple players that probably should have been on the injured list and was only able to get one sub so VPS graciously loaned them a player.

It was a battle from start to finish with scoring by each team in all but three innings and the score never being more than five runs until the pivotal seventh inning when VPS scored eight runs to tie the score at 19 apiece. PG failed to score in the top of the eighth and VPS put a run across in the bottom for a one run lead going into the final inning. The bottom three in the PG batting order were coming up and VPS got the first two outs before PG's scorekeeper found the green for a single and was driven home by Jack Schwarzel's triple who then scored on Brian Turner's sixth single of the game. VPS got runners on base in the bottom half, but PG managed to keep them from scoring to preserve the 21 to 20 win.

For PG everyone in the lineup had multiple hits and scored at least one run. In addition to Brian's six hits, David Hartzog was 4 for 5 with 4 RBIs. Rod Johnson, who could barely walk was 4 for 5 with 3 RBIs and BTW pitched a great game with I think no walks. Jack, Gary Conway, Marty Topper, Dennis O'Hern, Dave Erwine and Dick Wood all got on base three times.

There was plenty of hitting on the VPS side as well with Paul Wilson, Barry Stangl, Guy McCord and Dale Miller all going 4 for 5 and Al Castaneda, Oscar Castillo, and Bocai going 3 for 5. Bocai and Dale each drove in four runs. 

The team formerly known as the Carlsbad Police Coppers hosted the Nucci’s Meatballs on a beautiful morning at Pine Park.  Bedecked in their brand-new City Connect “Spoilers” uniforms they scampered onto the field.

Safely out of the playoffs, the Spoilers have taken no small amount of delight in making a very interesting battle for playoff spots even more interesting.  The top three playoff spots look pretty secure for PPB, WW, and CBI.  But the battle for fourth and the final playoff spot between Nucci’s and That Pizza Place looks just like a 15-round boxing match with a continuous exchange of haymakers between punch-drunk pugilists.  On Tuesday, the Spoilers tried to make things easier for Nucci’s by knocking off That Pizza Place.  And today the newly resurgent Spoilers set their sights on the Meatballs to turn the tables once again.

The Meatballs jumped out early, scoring three in the top of the first.  The Spoiler came back with two in the bottom of the first.  But the Meatballs kept at it, and through the top of the fourth they led 6-2.  At that point, the Spoilers shook off the cobwebs and scored four in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 6-6, and then decided it was time to play defense.  Holding the Meatballs scoreless through the seventh, the Spoilers built a 11-6 lead.  The Meatballs scored once in the eighth as a bit of a last gap before the Spoilers administered the coup de grace with five in the bottom of the eighth for a 16-7 lead.  (Actually, the Spoilers have repeatedly shown that no lead is safe.)  The Meatballs scored once more in the top of the ninth and then finished quietly, falling 16-8.

This game concluded the Nucci’s/Carlsbad Police four-game series with each team winning twice for a combined score of 52-52.  And the late-blooming Spoilers/Coppers are now 7-2-1 in their last ten games (having gone 4-13 in their first seventeen).

For the Nucci’s Meatballs, Randy Baird and Tom Benacka were twins, each going 3 for 4 with a home run.  Bob Porter was 2 for 4 and caught a couple fly balls, claiming that was worthy of the writeup.

For the Carlsbad Police Spoilers, Dan Miserany, Gordon Recht, and Jerry Smith were all 4 for 4 with seven of their twelve hits being for extra bases.  Gordon had the team’s one home run.  Craig Wheatcroft, Kevin Davidge and Jeff Payton each went 3 for 4, and Jimmy Smyth was 2 for 3.  Greg Lorton returned from Arizona and a one-game hiatus, apparently having forgotten that you field fly balls with your glove and not your face.  At least it was just batting practice.  Be skeptical of photos!

In a game that had no real playoff implications for either team (CBI is in, and Draft are way, way out) it was a fun and hard-fought game up at Alga 2.  Both teams came out with bats smoking hot in the first inning with Draft plating five runs highlighted by Robert Tahimic’s 3 run homer, and then CBI came back in the bottom half to plate five of their own with a barrage of base hits featuring a triple by speedy Dan Smith.  After that the defense took over for both teams with the score remaining tied 5-5 for the next four innings until the 6th when John Symanski legged out a home run just ahead of the Draft relays.  The two teams remained in a defensive battle the next two innings and traded runs with CBI taking a slim 7-6 lead into the top of the 8th.  In a déjà vu moment of inning one, the Drafters dug deep and came up with their second five run inning in the top of the 8th to go up by four, but CBI is too good a hitting team for that slim of a lead to be safe and also put five runs across in the bottom half to take a 12-11 lead.  In the do or die top of the 9th, the Draft did something they haven’t done much of this season…they DID instead of died and mounted a rally of six runs to take an “insurmountable” (is there such a thing in senior softball???) lead.   Carlsbad Inn mounted a small rally in the bottom of the 9th to bring one run across, but the Drafters were able to get the final three outs to put the game away in their favor.

Leading the way for the victors was Oscar Delgado (4/5) and Dave Ash (4/5 HR, 4 RBIs), Dave Bosque (3/4) and Robert Tahimic (2/5, HR, 3 RBIs).  For CBI, Gene LaChimia, Dan Smith and Anthony Reynoso, were each 3/4 and John Symanski was 2/4 (HR).  Defensive plays of note included a diving stab at SS by Randy Agadoni with a backhanded flip to Dan Smith for the inning ending force out.  Judges all gave that play a 10/10 (even the Russian judge!). 

Great pitching by Rich Keefer and Gary Soper (playing in pain) and thanks to Donato for umpiring. 

Amazingly, the Draft has won 3 out of 4 games for the first time this season.  Next up: watch out CPA or you may get DRAFTED!!!

“That rug really tied the room together.”— The Big Lebowski

In what could best be described as a carbon copy of Worden Williams’ game last Tuesday, the Dubs once again squeaked out a narrow 12–9 victory over a determined That Pizza Place squad. The stakes could not have been higher for either team. A TPP win would have tightened the race for third place, while a Dubs victory would clinch third outright. With the previous three meetings between the teams decided by a single run, the matchup figured to be another nail-biter — and neither team disappointed.

The scoreboard reflected just how evenly matched the teams were, with no more than two runs separating them through six innings. From the seventh inning on, each team managed just one run. And much like Worden Williams’ game on Tuesday, the tying run came to the plate with two outs and two runners aboard. This time, however, a long fly ball to center field was hauled in to end an exceptionally well-played game.

Offensively, the Dubs’ top of the order carried the load. Bob Buscher set the tone by going 4-for-4, while Phil Urbina, Joe Uribe, and Pat Steele combined to drive in 11 of the team’s 12 runs. Uribe and Steele each added a home run. For TPP, Rick Shaw went 3-for-3, while Kevin Lynch and Keith Richards each contributed three hits. Lynch also delivered a mammoth drive that caromed off the left-field fence at Alga 3.

In this low scoring game, both defenses turned in outstanding performances. Highlight plays for the Dubs included a 6’ 6” line drive off the bat of Barbara Pardo caught by 6’5” Bob Buscher at short and Joe Uribe’s rolling shoe top catch. For TPP, sub Johnny (or is it Jhonny) Brand covered seemingly everything hit into left-center field, helping keep his team within striking distance until the final out.

Russ Roopenian called a nice quiet game behind home plate.

Bye:  Pizza Port Brewery